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3 killed in fresh clash in Manipur, angry locals leave body outside CM's residence
The incident took place after two Meitei men were allegedly killed by Kuki militants amid the ongoing violence in Manipur.
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The security personnel posted outside Manipur chief minister Y Khemchand Singh's bungalow in Imphal were taken by surprise when a group of people brought a body and left it outside the gate on Monday. This prompted the security personnel to resort to tear gas shelling.
The incident took place after two Meitei men were allegedly killed by Kuki militants on Monday morning when they were collecting firewood in a forest, news agency PTI reported. The fresh killings triggered protests by locals who placed the body outside the chief minister's residence in Imphal.
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Four others were also injured as militants allegedly opened fire on a group of firewood collectors at the border of Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts, officials were quoted as saying.
The deceased have been identified as Arubam Ronil (35) and Lairenlakpam Inaobi (51).
Three persons are reportedly missing in the incident that happened in Khongbal Sunurok Uyok in Kangpokpi, a few metres from Nongshum village in Imphal East. According to officials, a group of 14 people had gone to the hills near their village on Monday morning to collect firewood when they were ambushed.
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It was not immediately known whether the CM was present at the residence when the protest broke out near his residence.
Police fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, following which the bodies were taken to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS).
What the police said
Police said that multiple incidents of violence were reported between Sunday night and Monday morning. The first one happened on the night of October 18 as tensions erupted between two communities following a stone-pelting incident by unidentified persons during a musical night at Khangabok Pali Bazar under Thoubal police station.
“The incidents subsequently escalated and communities of Khangabok and Sangakpham got involved. At around 12:40 AM, one individual succumbed to his injuries; these were bullet injuries, at Raj Medicity, while several others were injured. Additional forces were immediately rushed into the area, including RAF, CRPF, and Assam Rifles and Police and security forces brought the situation under control at around approximately 1:50 AM,” ADGP Manipur Police, Lhari Dorjee Lhatoo, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Efforts are on to identify the accused, he said.
In another incident, an IED exploded at Kakwa Lamdaibung Lampak, near Singjamai police station and three CRPF personnel were seriously injured. “We are pursuing some leads regarding the incident and are confident that we will be able to take action as per law on the culprits,” Lhatoo said.
On the firing incident in Tangkhul area that spiralled into protests, with agitated locals leaving the dead body outside the CM's residence, he said that unidentified armed militants opened fire on a group of fourteen Meitei villagers who were engaged in cutting and transporting firewood. “In the incident, three individuals succumbed to bullet injuries. Three other individuals have also sustained injuries. The injured have been safely evacuated and are undergoing further medical treatment,” the police official said, adding that an investigation has been launched into the incident.
